Registrar

Requirements and Policies

 
 
 

Cornell Credit Requirements

  • Students must earn a minimum of 120 total academic credits to graduate. Physical education nor “00” courses do not count towards the 120 minimum credits for graduation.
  • Of the 120 credits, at least 60 credits must be earned at Cornell University.

Back to page contents menu

 

Human Ecology Credit Requirements

  • Students must complete a minimum of 43 Human Ecology credits [Category II (major) and III (electives)].
  • Students must earn 9 credits in Human Ecology departments outside their major [from any category]:
    • “HE” prefix courses below the 300 level do not count towards this requirement. 
    • A maximum of 3 credits of department special studies (400, 401, and 402) may be applied. “403: Teaching Apprenticeship” courses do not count towards this requirement.
    • See Off-Campus Programs below for additional options.
  • Students must complete a minimum of 2 natural science courses (biology, chemistry, or physics) with labs.
  • Students must complete 2 First-Year Writing Seminars during their first two semesters. Those who do not fulfill this requirement will be referred to CAS. These seminars will not be approved for in absentia study.

Back to page contents menu

 

Dean's List Requirements

Excellence in academic achievement is recognized by placing on the Dean's List the names of students who have completed satisfactorily:

  • At least 12 credits  of letter grades.
  • A semester GPA of 3.7 or above.
  • No F or U grades.

Dean's List certificates will be printed and distributed to the student's mail folders in MVR Hall at the end of the Fall semester and mailed to the home address at the end of the Spring semester.

 

Requirements for Majors

  • Students must fulfill the requirements specified for a major that are in effect at the time of their matriculation. They also have the choice of fulfilling the requirements specified for subsequent years. However, they cannot mix and match requirements from different years.
  • Curriculum requirements for each graduating class are available in the registrar's office. Current requirements are also available on the Web by clicking here.

Back to page contents menu

 

Minors (or Concentrations)

  • Human Ecology will accept all minors that are approved by the University. Minors are controlled, tracked, and audited by the department or unit in which they are offered. Information regarding completion of requirements must be reported by the unit sponsoring the minor to the Human Ecology's Registrar's Office for it to be noted on the transcript .

Back to page contents menu

 

Pass/Fail (S/U) Grade Options

  • S/U grading option may not be used for any required course [i.e., distribution requirements in Category I or major courses in Category II] unless it is the only grade option offered for those courses.
  • S/Us MAY be used for the 9 credits of Human Ecology coursework outside of one's major and for electives in Category III.
  • Students may apply no more than 12 credits of S/U towards graduation requirements. If a required course is only offered S/U, it will not count towards this limit. Students may take more S/Us if they choose, but the additional credit will not be applied towards graduation.
  • The deadline for changing grade options is 3 weeks after the start of classes, the same as the “add” deadline.

Back to page contents menu

 

Minimum Semester Requirements

  • Students must carry 12 credits each semester (excluding physical education) to be matriculated as full-time students. Carrying fewer than 12 credits will have financial aid implications and will make students subject to academic action as defined by the Committee on Academic Status (CAS).
    • Exception: Mature students (24 years or older at date of matriculation) can enroll for as few as 6 credits without petitioning for permission
  • Students must complete 12 Human Ecology credits by the end of their sophomore year. They must take at least 5 of those credits each year (i.e. they cannot enroll in 12 credits one year and no credits in the next.).

Back to page contents menu

 

Endowed Credits

  • Effective with the Spring 2006 semester, there is no limit to the number of credits that may be taken in the endowed colleges (Arts, AR, EN, HO). Depending on their needs and desires, students may choose to take additional courses and graduate with more then 120 credits. 

Back to the page contents menu

 

Statutory Credits

  • There is no limit to the number of credits that may be taken in the statutory colleges (HE, ILR, and CALS). Depending on their needs and desires, students may choose to take additional statutory courses and graduate with more than 120 credits.

Back to page contents menu

 

Off-Campus Programs

  • Urban Semester: 15 Human Ecology credits including 8 credits outside the major for all HE students
  • Cornell Abroad: 15 Cornell credits (statutory, non-Human Ecology)
  • Cornell-in-Washington: 15 Cornell credits including 8 PAM credits for PAM majors or 8 credits outside the major for non-PAM majors
  • Capital Semester: 15 Human Ecology credits including 8 PAM credits for PAM majors or 8 credits outside the major for non-PAM majors

Back to page contents menu

 

Special Studies

  • A total of 12 credits of special study course work from Human Ecology or other colleges will count towards the 120 graduation credit requirement. [Additional credits can be taken but will not be applied.]
  • A maximum of three credits of 400-402 (not including 403) may count towards the "credit outside the major" category as long as the special study is in a department outside the student's major.
  • Students cannot TA (403) the same course for credit more than once or take and TA the same course simultaneously. 403 does not fulfill any requirements towards the major. Registration for 403 may not exceed 5 credit hours per semester.

Back to page contents menu

 

“00” Courses and PE Courses

  • “00” courses do not count towards graduation credit but does count towards full-time status.
  • PE courses do not count towards graduation credit and do not count towards full-time status.

Back to page contents menu

 

Courses with Duplicate Content

Students should scrutinize course descriptions for details about other Cornell courses with duplicate content that would preclude a student from receiving full credit for duplicate courses. For example, students may not receive 6 credits toward graduation requirements if they take D SOC 101 and SOC 101. Because both are introduction to sociology courses, only 3 credits would be allowed. To aid students in this evaluation, the college maintains a partial list (those that are commonly required in Human Ecology curricula) of Cornell courses that have duplicate content. The list can be found by clicking here. 

 

AP, IB and Pre-College Credits

  • Effective Fall 2003, students who matriculate as freshmen may apply a maximum of 15 non-Cornell credits earned prior to matriculation (including AP, IB, and college credits) towards the 120 credits required for graduation. An additional 15 in absentia credits earned after matriculation may be applied (minimum grade of C- or higher required). Students with questions about specific transfer credits should work with the registrar's office.

Back to page contents menu

 

Grade Point Average

  • Students must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) or better to graduate. Students who fall below 2.0 cumulatively or during a semester are subject to academic action.

Back to page contents menu

 

Transfer Students

  • Transfers are highly encouraged to seek approval from advisers (faculty or student services staff) regarding their incoming schedules. A heavy course load (more than 15 credits) during the first Cornell semester is discouraged.
  • Students in some majors may require an extra semester or two to finish departmental requirements.
  • Premeds should speak with their advisers or student services counselors regarding course sequencing and timing, college and university resources, and medical school admission timetables. Pre-Meds must complete 30 credit hours (not including PE or S/U grades) at Cornell to be eligible for the HCEC process.

Back to page contents menu

 

For Further Information

Graduation summaries are created for all students. They match the student's curriculum sheet for their major based on their matriculation date. While the graduation summary matches the information on the curriculum sheets, the curriculum sheets should be consulted for additional information. Summaries are updated throughout the year for Seniors and per student request; otherwise, during the summer months. They can be viewed on-line by clicking here. [Kerberos is required to view].

Back to page contents menu